Adsorption system



Jan. 5, 1960 E. DIYLLMAN ETAL ABSORPTION SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 3, 1957 Jan. 5, 1960 E. E. DILLMAN ETAL ADSORPTION SYSTEM Filed July 3', 1957 y INVENTORS 244 2w WML Jan. 5, 1960 E. E. DILLMAN ETAL ABSORPTION SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 3, 1957 fawara Z'. flM/man 170/7 fi/nya E. E. DILLMAN ET AL Jan. 5, 1960 ADSORPTION SYSTEM 6 Shegts-Sheet 6 Filed July 3, 1957 1 rromvgy:

United States Patent 2,919,764 ABSORPTION SYSTEM Edward E. Dillman and Dan Ringo, Houston, Tex., as-

signors to Engineers & Fabricators, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation Application July 3, 1957, Serial No. 669,753

2 Claims. (Cl. 183-41) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in adsoiption processes and apparatus.

This application is a continuation-in-part of United States patent application Serial No. 551,816 filed December 8, 1955, now abandoned, and is entitled to the benefit of the filing date thereof for all subject matter which is common thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adsorption process and apparatus for dehumidifying or stripping air or other gases continuously and automatically.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adsorption process which includes flowing natural gas or the like through multi-stage stationary adsorption beds while simultaneously cooling and activating other stationary adsorption beds and shifting the flow of the natural gas consecutively to different stationary adsorportion beds in a predetermined sequence without interrupting the flow of the natural gas.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved system wherein each of a plurality of adsorption beds has an inlet valve and an outlet valve. which are synchronized to provide a substantially uninterrupted flow of gas through the system.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adsorption system wherein a plurality of adsorption beds are provided through which a gas having one or more components capable of being adsorbed is passed, and wherein a plurality of inlet valves are utilized for directing the flow of the gas to the adsorption beds, and wherein a plurality of outlet valves are utilized for directing the flow of the gas from the adsorption beds, said inlet valves and said outlet valves being so constructed and connected with the adsorption beds that the number of the inlet valves is no greater than the number of adsorption beds and likewise the number of the outlet valves is no greater than the number of the adsorption beds.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adsorption system wherein a field gas or the like having hydrocarbons and water therewith is adapted to be passed through a plurality of adsorption beds, wherein at least two of the adsorption beds are connected in series, and wherein means are provided for shifting the How of the gas to the adsorption beds to change the particular beds which are in series at any selected time, whereby the maximum adsorption and recovery of the hydrocarbons from the gas is accomplished.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the adsorption system or appaartus of this invention wherein the valve of this invention is employed;

Figure 2A is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the main portion of one form of the valve of this invention;

Figure 2B is an elevation illustrating one type of construction for actuating the valve of Figure 2A;

Figure 3 is an elevation taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2B and illustrates the actuating means for the valve of Figure 2A;

Figure 4 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating another form of the valve of this invention;-

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 2A which illustrates the valve in one operating position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, except that the valve member of the valve has been rotated to a different position for showing same when fluid flow through the valve is completely out ofi;

' Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 5 to show the shape of the port in the valve member, as constructed in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified adsorption system of this invention.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the main feed pipe or line from the field or other source of field or raw gas which, in the usual case, is natural gas and which is adapted to be fed through such line 10 to adsorption beds B1, B-2, B-3 and B-4, in a sequence which will be explained. The beds have a plurality of inlet valves and outlet valves associated therewith, and such valves are each preferably constructed in accordance with the valve shown in the drawings of this invention, the construction of which will be explained in detail hereinafter. Such valves are multi-port valves which are adapted to be rotated without reversal for changing to different port positions. The inlet valves are designated by the numerals 11, 12, 13 and 14 for the beds B-l, 13-2, B3 nad B4, respectively. Similarly, the outlet valves are designated by the numerals 15, 16, 17 and 18 for the beds B-l, B-Z, B-3 and B-4, respectively. As will be explained in detail hereinafter, the valves associated with each of the beds are arranged in a particular sequence so that the natural gas coming in through the main feed line 10 is directed to one of the beds and then in series through other beds for adsorption and for ultimately feeding outwardly through discharge line 20 to yield the stripped gas from which water and hydrocarbons, as well as other components which are adapted to be removed by adsorption, have been stripped or removed. The beds B-1, B-2, B3 and B-4 preferably have a selective adsorbent therein such as silica gel or carbon, although other adsorbent materials serving the same purpose may be used.

-Also, as will be explained, while two of the beds are adsorbing the water or hydrocarbons or other similar materials from the gas, another of the beds is being cooled preparatory for use as an adsorption bed and the remaining bed is being activated by removing therefrom the water and hydrocarbons which had previously been adsorbed therein, usually to the point of bed saturation. The line which feeds the cooling gas to the bed which is being cooled is designated by the numeral 21 and the line which feeds the activation gas to the bed which is being activated is designated by the numeral 22. The outlet line for the gas which is used for cooling is designated by the numeral 23 and the outlet line for the enriched gas which comes from the bed which is being activated is designated by the numeral 24.

Patented Jan. 5, 1960 maintained separately from the main gas system because the enriched gas is heated and is used in the heated condition for the activation stage of the system and, therefore, the system would be less efiicient if there was any substantial admixture between the activating gas and the field gas which is being adsorbed and stripped. The enriched gas which fiows through the line 24 from the bed which is being activated flows through a heat exchanger 25 and then through a condenser 26 and finally to an accumulator 27. The exchanger 25 and condenser '26 cool the enriched gas plus adsorbate passing therethrough sutficiently to cause the adsorbate consisting of Water and the hydrocarbons in the enriched gas to separate as liquids so that the accumulator 27 actually has a level of liquid on the bottom thereof which is the water or hydrocarbons or other stripped materials which has been removed from the natural gas. Such stripped materials can be removed through the outlet line 28 and passed to storage or to market. The enriched gas is continuously recycled through the line 29 from the accumulator 27 by means of a blower or pump 36 and is fed through the heat exchanger 25 to preheat the gas. Thereafter, the gas passes through the heater 32 which has gas burners 32a therein, as illustrated in the drawings, which burners 32a are fed with natural gas from the line 2% through the line 33 and pressure reducing valves 34, if desired. In the event the temperature of the heated gas passing from the heater 32 reaches a pr determined temperature so that it is sufiiciently hot for the activation process, the temperature control 36 is activated to open the bypass valve 37 which maintains all the activation gas passing into line 22 at the desired temperature level for activation.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, activation gas is fed from line 22 to one of the beds B1, 13-2, B3 or 3-4 through one of the lines 38, 39, 40 or 41, depending upon which of the valves 11, 12, 13 or 14 is open. At any one time, only one of the valves Ill, 12, 13 or 14 is open so that only one of the beds is being activated at any one time. As the activation gas passes through the bed being activated, it causes the water or hydrocarbons which have previously been adsorbed in the bed to vaporize due to the fact that the activation gas is hot. Such vaporized water or hydrocarbons admix with the activation gas to enrich same.

he enriched activation gas thus becomes further enriched with the Water and hydrocarbons and passes outwardly through one of the lines 42, d3, 44 or to the enriched gas return line 24. It will be evident that the particular one of the lines 42, 4-3, 44 or 45 which is open to the enriched gas return line 24' will determine which of the beds is being activated. In other words, if the bed B-4 is being activated, the activation gas will pass through the line 4-1 because the valve 14 will be open thereto and will be discharged through the line 45 since the valve 18 will be open to such line 45. The other discharge lines 42, 43 and 44 will, of course, be closed if the line 45 is open.

As previously mentioned, one of the beds is being cooled while two of the beds are on the adsorption stage and while the fourth bed is being activated. However, prior to the cooling of that particular bed which is on the cooling stage of the cycle, the bed is first purged of any gas remaining therein from the previous activation stage. In other words, the bed which has previously been on the activation stage is followed by the purging and cooling stage. The purging is effected by passing some of the field gas through line 46 and through pressure control valve 47 and open valve 48 to the inlet line 21 which connects with lines 59, 51, 52 and 53. One of the valves ll, 12, 13 or 14 (Figure l) is open for flow through one of such lines 5%, 51, 52 or 53, depending upon which bed is on the purge and cooling stage of the cycle. The field gas is thus passed through that particular bed and then pass% outwardly through the particular one of the lines 55, 56, 57 or 5'8, which is open so that the gas is then conducted to the discharge line 20. The valve 69 in the line 20 is normally open, but for the purging phase of the cycle, the valve 60 is closed so that the purged gas is diverted from line 20 through line 61 and through the check valve 6?. and line 63 to the field gas inlet line It. From there, the purged gas is mixed with the field gas and is fed through one of the lines 65, 66, 67, or 68, depending upon which of the valves 11, 12, 13 or 1-4 is open to such line. The valve which is open is for the bed which is the first in the two-stage adsorption phase of the cycle. Each of the beds B-ll, B2, B3 and B-4 has a pipe or line designated by the numerals 7t 71, 72 and 73, respectively, which is connected thereto at its lower portion for feeding to the second bed in series of the two-stage adsorption phase of the system. Thus, one of the valves 15, 16, 17 or 18 (Figure 1) is open to one of the lines 70, 71, '72 or 73 for feeding the field gas from the first adsorption bed to the second adsorption bed of the two-stage adsorption phase. From the second of the ad sorption-stage beds the field gas, with the purged gas mixed therewith, is fed through one of the lines 75, 76, 77 or '78 to the outlet line 23. Since the valve 80 is closed during the purging phase of the cycle, and the valve 81 is open, the purged gas, mixed with some of the field gas, passes outwardly through line 23 and 82 to the line 20.

When the purging operation is completed, the valve 691 is open, the valve 81 is closed, the valve 86 is open, and the valve 68 is closed so that the flow through the bed which was purged is changed. For such cooling of the particular bed which is on the purge and cooling phase, the field gas which has passed through the second of the adsorption beds is fed to the outlet or return line 23 through one of the lines 75, 76, 77 or '75. From there, the stripped gas from the second of the adsorption beds is fed through the ine to the cooling gas line 21, from which the gas is directed to the particular bed which has been initially purged. The gas which passes outwardly from the bed which has been cooled is fed through one of the lines 55, 56, 57 or 58 to the strlpped gas outlet line 2d. Since the valve 69 is now open, the stripped gas is passed out as product or to storage.

Although the system has been described above as separate phases, it will be understood that the system is continuous, that is, the system is operated without interrupting the inflow of the field gas to the system, and each of the various phases is carried out while the other phases are also being simultaneously carried out in the other beds. In order to illustrate the operation or use of the system or apparatus disclosed in Figure 1 and to describe the process in connection therewith, the system will be described as if the adsorption beds B1 and B2 are on the two-stage series adsorption phase of the cycle while the bed B3 is on the purge and cooling phase of the cycle in series with the beds B-l and B-2 and the bed B4- is on the separate activation phase of the cycle. Assuming such conditions, the field gas would be fed in through the line 10 and the valve 11 would have its port A open so as to admit the field gas into the bed Bl. The lower valve 15 would have its port A open so as to direct the flow from the bed B1 to the line 743. It will be observed that the line 70 connects up with a line 86 that has valves 87, 88 and 89 therein.

Such valves are for the purpose of equalizing the entire system upon starting, but during the normal operation, which is being described, such valves 87, 88 and 89 are closed. Another equalizing valve 90 is disposed between the lines 22 and 10 and it is open only for the initial starting and equalization of the system. Thereafter, it is also closed. Thus, the gas which is passed through the bed BIl flows through the line 70 and to the valve 12. The valve 12 has its port B open so that the gas continues to flow through the bed B-2 and the valve 16 has its port B open so that the gas then passes outwardly through the line 76 to the outlet line 23. When the bed B3 is being purged, the valve 80 is closed and the valves 48 and 81 are open so that the gas from the line 23 then passes out through the line 82 to the line 20 as product or for storage. However, after the purging of the bed B3 which occurs only for the initial portion of the purge and cooling phase, the valve 81 is closed and the valve 80 is open. When such change of the valves 80 and 81 occurs, the gas from line 76 passes through line 23 and then through line 85 to the cooling inlet line 21. The valve 13 has its port C open so that the cooling gas from the inlet line 21 passes through line 52 and then through the bed B3. The cooling gas reduces the temperature of the bed B3 since it has previously been on the hot activation phase and then passes through the port C of valve 17 to line 57 and then to line 20. When the bed B3 is on the cooling portion of its purge and cooling phase, the valve 60 is open and the product is the stripped gas which passes outwardly therefrom. However, if the bed B3 is still on the purge portion of its purge and cooling phase, the valve 60 is closed and the gas passing through the bed B3 passes upwardly through the check valve 62 and line 63 to the inlet line where it mixes with the field gas, as previously explained.

The activation bed B4 is in a separate system from the field gas while the activation is being carried out. Thus, the activation gas comes from the accumulator 27 and after passing through the heat exchanger 25 and the heaters 32, such gas is directed into the line 22 and then to the line 41 since the valve 14 has its port D open. The activation gas passes through the bed B4 and out through the open port D of valve 18 for passage through the line 45 to the enriched gas return line 24. From there, the enriched gas goes through the heat exchanger to impart some of its heat to the gas coming through the heat exchanger from the line 29, and then the enriched gas passes through the condenser 26 where it is cooled and where the adsorbate such as water and hydrocarbons are liquefied for accumulation or collection in the accumulator 27.

The above sequence of operations are continued until the beds B-1 and B2 have adsorbed their capacity of water and hydrocarbons, or such other materials as are adsorbed therein during the particular process. Thereafter, as will be more fully explained, the valves 11, 12, 13', 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are turned 90 so that the beds B2 and B3 are thereafter on the adsorption phase, with the bed B2 then being the first of the two-stage adsorption phase and the bed B3 being the second of the two-stage adsorption phase. The bed B4 would then be on the purge and cooling phase of the operation and the bed B-1 would 'be on the activation phase of the system. The flow to each of the beds is changed by rotating the valves 11 through 18 when the particular beds which are used for the adsorption phase of the system have reached their capacity as regulated by temperature controls, as hereinafter described. Thus, after the beds B2 and B3 have been used for the adsoprtion phase, then the beds B3 and B4 would be used, and thereafter the beds B4 and B1 would be used and finally the beds B1 and B2 would again be used as above explained. It will be understood, of course, that when the beds B3 and B4 are used for adsorption, the bed B-1 will be on the purge and cooling phase and the bed B2 will be on the activation phase of the system. Similarly, when the beds B4 and B4 are used on the adsorption phase of the system, the bed B2 will be on the purge and cooling phase and the bed B3 will be on the activation phase.

In order to rotate the valves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 for each change in the system, the control mechanism illustrated diagrammatically at the lower portion v 6 of Figure 1 is utilized. Such control system includes diaphragms 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 for the valves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Such diaphragms are utilized in the unseating of the valve plugs or members when shifting the valves of the type shown in Figure 2A and for seating the valves of the type shown in Figure 4, as will be explained. Also, in connection with each of the valves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, a piston or fluid pressure-actuating means 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, and 107, respectively, are provided for actually making the rotation of each of the valves for each change in the beds being used for the various phases of the system, as will be more evident hereinafter. A supply of gas or other actuating fluid is indicated at 108 in Figure 1 for ultimately actuating the pistons or fluid-actuated means 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107 and the diaphragms 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 when it is desired to rotate the valves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Such gas supply 108 is ordinarily prevented from actuating such pistons and diaphragms while the beds B-l, B2, B3 and B4 are on a particular phase of the system. In other words, while beds B-1 and B2 are on the adsorption phase and the bed B3 is on the purge and cooling while the bed B4 is on the activation phase, the supply of gas 108 would not be admitted to the pistons 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107 so that there would be no rotation of the valves until the end of that phase of the system. The valves 111 and 112 are thus closed except at the time of the change of beds so as to prevent the admission of the gas supply to the pistons and diaphragms for operating the valves 11 through 18 of the beds.

The valves and 111 could be manually manipulated to open same for the passage of the supply air or gas 108 therethrough to the control system, but as shown in Figure 1, the valve 111 is controlled by a conven-' tional temperature controller 114 which opens the valve 111 when the temperature of the gas passing through the line 24 reaches a predetermined value. ,Since the line 24 contains the enriched gas coming from the particular bed which is being activated, the temperature at which the controller 114 is set to open the valve 111 is the temperature which the enriched gas reaches when the activation of the particular bed is completed. In other words, assuming the bed B4 is being activated, the gas would reach a predetermined temperature in the line 24 when that bed had been activated for further use and, therefore, the temperature of the gas in the line 24 would cause the temperature controller 114 to act to open the valve 111. Similarly, the valve 110 is opened by another temperature controller which opens when the gas in the line 20 reaches apredetermined temperature. Such gas in the line 20 is the gas coming from the bed being cooled and, therefore, it would be actuated when the bed had been cooled sufliciently for subsequent use. Thus, both conditions, namely the activation of the bed under the activation phase and the cooling of the bed under the cooling phase would have to occur before the valves 110 and 111 were both opened.

When the valves 110 and 111 are opened, then the air or gas supply from 108 initially opens the valve 112. The air or gas also passes through the normally open valve 114 so as to close valve 115 which is normally open. Also, the valve 116 which is normally open is closed by the air or gas passing through the line 117 from the source or supply 108. .The air or gas passing through the line 118 serves to open the normally closed valve 119. When the valve 119 is thus open, the diaphragms 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 are thus opened to exhaust which allows the valves 11 through 18 to unseat prior to the rotation thereof to a different position, as will be explained. At the same time, supply pressure bleeds through valve 126 which delays the actuation of the valve 121 to open same so that the air or gas from the supply 108 is then fed through the line 122 to the pistons 100 through 107. The pistons are thus actuated to move the valves 11 through 18 ninety degrees (90), as will be more fully explained. Such rotation of the valves, of course, shifts the streams being fed to the various beds of the system.

During the admission of the air or gas through line 122 to the pistons 100 through 1117, a portion of the gas or air is also passed through line 123 to a throttling valve 124 which slowly admits pressure to a surge chamber 125 so that after a predetermined time interval from the opening of the valve 121, the pressure in the drum 125 becomes suificient to actuate the valve 114 to close same. When the valve 114 is closed, then the valve 115 is returned to its normally open position and the valve 119 is returned to its normally closed position. Such action then permits the supply of air or gas through the line 126 to the diaphragms 91 through 98 so as to again reseat the valves 11 through 18. The pressure through the line 126 also passes through the valve 120 and a build-up in pressure in the surge drum 127 is obtained after a predetermined period of time to close the valve 121.

As previously explained, one of the beds B1, 13-2, B-3 or 13-4 is on the purge and cooling phase during a particular cycle, and the purging is accomplished prior to the cooling portion of that phase for each cycle. Thus, in the example assumed above, the bed B-3 is on the purge and cooling phase of the cycle and is initially purged and thereafter is cooled. For manipulating the valves so as to first purge the particular bed on that portion of the cycle and for thereafter directing cooling gas through that same bed, the air or gas from the supply source 108 is fed through line 131 from line 122 to close the valve 60, open valve 81, open valve 48 and close valve 80. The valves are then in position to provide purging by diverting a portion of the field gas during the purging phase of the cycle described above. Such purging will, of course, occur substantially simultaneously with the actuation of the pistons 1th) through 107. The temperature level of the gas stream leaving the bed B3 in the purging cycle rises, causing temperature controller 115 to react, closing valve 111). Similarly, the temperature level drops in line 24 causing the temperature controller 114 to react, closing valve 111 after a predetermined time delay. However, in order a to avoid closing the valves 110 and 111 prior to the time that the pistons 1% through 107 have made their full stroke for moving the valves 1118 through their 90 rotation to a new position, the temperature controller 114 has associated therewith a throttling valve 131 and a surge drum 132, and similarly the temperature controller 115 has associated therewith a throttling valve 133 and a surge drum 134, so that the valves 110 and 111 are not actuated to their initial positions until after a predetermined length of time from the initial supply of air or gas to the pistons 100 through 1517.

When the valve 119 opens and 111 closes after the predetermined length of time, the exhaust valve 116 is open which permits the air or gas in the pistons 199-107 to exhaust therefrom and return to their initial positions. The valve 112 also returns to its normally closed position, the valve 114 returns to its normally open position, the valve 60 returns to its normally open position, the valve 81 returns to its normally closed position, the valve 80 returns to its normally open position, and the valve 48 returns to its normally closed position. Thus, the air or gas supplied to the pistons is relieved to prevent further action thereon and in addition thereto, the purge system is stopped and the flow is switched so that the particular bed, such as the bed B3, is then transferred to the cooling portion of the cycle. The system then operates as described above until the particular beds, such as the beds B-1 and B2, have reached their capacity as far as adsorption is concerned, which is reflected in the temperatures of the gas streams passing the temperature controller 114. Then a new cycle will begin when the temperature controllers 114 and are again actuated by the changes in the temperatures of the gas streams operating same.

The particular valves 11 through 18 (Figure l) which are used in the adsorption system of this invention are illustrated in Figures 2A-7 of the drawings. The first form of the valve used in such system is shown in Figures 2A, 2B, 3 and 5-7, wherein such valve includes a valve body which has a plurality of ports 150A, 1513B, 1511C and 1511B (Figures 2A and 5-7) which extend laterally through the valve body 159 and communicate with a central axial bore or passage 1511a. The passages 1511A, 151113 and 150C are generally of the same diameter or size and correspond with the openings A, B and C, respectively, as diagrammatically shown in Figure 1. The passage 159D corresponds with the opening D of each of the valves 11-18 diagrammatically shown in Figure l and such passage 1501) is therefore the one leading to the line 22 which feeds the activation gas to the particular bed being treated.

The body 159 is provided with a plurality of threaded openings or recesses 151 which are adapted to receive studs for connecting pipes or conduits (not shown) to the valve body 156 for conducting fluid or gas to or from the openings 159A, 1511B, C and 15131D. Also, similar threaded openings 151 are provided at the left end (Figure 2A) of the valve body 150 for the connection of a pipe or conduit to the body 151) for establishing communication with the bore 1519a. A valve seat 152 which is preferably annular in shape and which has an internal inclined or tapered surface 152a therein is positioned in the bore 1513a with one end thereof welded at the annular weld 153 to the interior of the body 150. The other end of the valve seat 152 is welded to an annular ring or sleeve 154 which is threaded into the bore 1511a. The weld is indicated at 155 for the connection between the sleeve 152 and the ring 154. Such removable valve seat 152 could, of course, be formed or made in one piece with the body 150, but the separate valve seat 152 facilitates the assembly and replacement thereof.

The valve seat 152 has openings 152A, 152B, 152C and 1521) which corresponds with the openings 1541A, 1598, 15 3C and 159D, respectively, of the valve body 150.

A valve member 153 is positioned within the valve seat 152 and is in the form of a tapered sleeve with an opening 158a extending laterally therethrough for successively establishing communication between the interior 1581) of the valve member 158 and the openings 1511A, 150B, 1519C and 1591). The external surface 1580 of the valve member 158 is tapered or inclined at the same, or substantially the same, inclination as the inclined seating surface 152a of the valve seat 152, so that when the valve member 158 is properly positioned in the valve seat 152, there is sealing contact between the surfaces 152a and 158C to prevent fluid passage therebetween.

At the right-hand end (Figure 2A) of the valve member 158, a out 1611 having an internal threaded opening 1613a therethrough is mounted. Such mounting may be accomplished in any number of ways, but as illustrated, the nut 16% has flanges 16% formed thereon through which one or more screws 161 extend for connecting the nut 161 to the right-hand end of the valve member 158. Alignment pins 162 are also preferably used at spaced intervals with respect to the screw 161. Such nut could, of course, be made integral with the valve member 158, if so desired. The nut 16% is provided on the valve member 158 for connecting an operating shaft 164 thereto by means of the interengagement of the external threads 164a with the internal threads 160a in the nut 160. Thus, the valve member 158 is connected to the shaft 164 for longitudinal or axial movement together.

A shaft support housing 165 which is annular in shape surrounds the shaft 164 and is provided with an axial passage 165a therethrough for supporting the shaft 164 during longitudinal or rotational movement thereof relative to the housing 165. Such housing 165 is connected to the valve body 150 by threaded pins or studs 166 which have nuts 167 threaded thereon (Figure 2A). A fluidtight seal 170 is provided in the housing 165 for contact with the external surface of the shaft 164 so as to prevent any fluid leakage past such point. As shown in the drawing, the seal 170 is formed with a chevron-type packing. The packing is maintained under compression for providing the adequate seal by means of a packing gland 171 which is annular in shape and which is connected to the housing 165 by screws 172 or any similar adjustable connecting means.

The housing 165 has an enlarged diameter portion 165b which serves as the bearing housing and which may be formed separately, but as shown is formed as an integral part of the housing 165. The bearing support ring 175 is threaded within the housing portion 165]) and the ball bearings 176 and 177 are mounted on the bearing support 175 and in contact with the external surface of the reduced diameter portion 16417 of the shaft 164. A wear collar 178 surrounds the reduced diameter shaft portion 16412 to the left of the ball bearing 176, and its right-hand end 178a is spaced from the left-hand end 1761: of the ball bearing 176 so as to leave an adjustable annular clearance between the wear ring 178 and the ball bearing 176 when the valve member 158 is fully seated, as will be more fully explained, whereby the valve member 158 can move longitudinally until the surfaces 178a and 176a contact each other so as to partially unseat or disengage the surfaces 158a from the seating surface 152a.

The shaft 164 is normally urged to the right (Figure 2A) so as to tend to move the valve member 158 to an unseated position with respect to the valve seating surface 152a', by means of a coil spring 180 which engages an annular plate or washer 181 in contact with the bearing 177 and also engages a flange 182a of a retaining collar 182 which is threaded to the shaft 164 at the threads 1640. In other words, the coil spring 180 is under compression and it acts to move the retaining collar 182 to the right (Figure 2A) because one portion thereof acts against the fixed washer 181 and the other portion thereof acts against the flange 182a. Such tendency to move the collar 182 to the right is transmitted to the shaft 164 and ultimately to the valve member 158.

For overcoming the tendency of the spring 180 to unseat the valve member 158, a diaphragm which is operated by air or gas under pressure and which is shown in Figure 2B by the numeral 183 acts to urge the shaft 164 to the left. The air pressure acting on the diaphragm 183, which is of conventional construction, is sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 180. However, when it is desired to unseat the valve member 158 for effecting the turning of same relative to the valve body 150, the fluid pressure acting on the diaphragm 183 is relieved so that the spring 180 then acts to unseat the valve member 158, as will be more fully explained.

As shown in Figure 2B, the shaft 164 therein is the same shaft 164 shown in Figure 2A and it extends through a conventional free-wheeling clutch 184, gear 185, and a star-shaped stop 186 for engagement with a small shaft 187 connected to the diaphragm 183. A ball contact 188 is preferably provided between the shafts 164 and 187, but it will be appreciated that any type of connection therebetween is satisfactory.

The gear 185 has its teeth in engagement with the teeth on a rack 190 which is adapted to be moved vertically (Figure 2B) so as to rotate the gear 185. The gear 185 is mounted with the clutch 184 in a conventional manner so that only downward movement of the rack 190, as viewed'in Figures 2B and 3, imparts the rotation to the shaft 164. Upon an upward movement of the rack 190 from its position shown in Figures 2B and 3, the gear 185 is turned, but the connection with the clutch 184 is such that no rotation is imparted through the clutch to the shaft 164. In other words, rotation is imparted to the shaft 164 in one direction only. Such rotation is also limited to a or one-quarter-revolution turn for each downward movement of the rack 190. The rotation of the gear 185 is positively stopped after the 90 turning of the shaft 164 by contacting a stop roller 191 on the upper end of the rack 190 with one of the stop surfaces 186a on the star-shaped stop member 186. It is to be noted that during the travel of the rack 190, it is preferably guided by rollers 192 which are mounted on a suitable support (not shown). It will be appreciated, of course, that the arm 190a of the rack 190 has connection with a piston or other similar means which is operated by fluid pressure for imparting the longitudinal travel in a reciprocating motion to the rack 190. Such piston is, of course, of conventional construction and many types of devices for effecting the travel of the gear rack 190 could be utilized, but as previously explained in connection with Figure 1, preferably such device for effecting the movement of the rack 190 is operated by air or gas pressure. Such pistons are indicated diagrammatically in Figure 1 by the numerals through 107. Also, it should be pointed out that the diaphragms 91 through 98 in Figur 1 are each connected to the shaft of one of the valves 11 through 18, respectively, in the same manner as shown in Figure 2B and as described above.

In the operation of the valve shown in Figure 2A with the means shown in Figures 213 and 3, the valve member 158 is successively turned through ninety degrees or a one-quarter revolution so as to successively position the port 158a opposite each of the lateral openings or ports A, 15GB, 150C and 150D. With any one of such ports 150A through 150D aligned with the opening 158a, fluid communication is established with that particular lateral port and with the bore or passage 15011 in the valve body 150 so that each of the four lateral ports 150A-150D are successively in communication with the single port or bore 150a.

As the valve member 158 is turned through each successive ninety-degree movement, the diaphragm 183 is first actuated by changing the fluid pressure acting. thereon, as described above in connection with Figure 1, so that the spring overcomes the fluid pressure acting on the diaphragm 183 to move the shaft 164 to the right as viewed in Figure 2A. Such movement of the shaft 164 is limited by the contact of the annular surface 178a on the wear ring 178 with the lateral surface 176a on the bearing 176. Such distance of movement is very small, but it is sufllcient to relieve the frictional sealing engagement of the surfaces 152a and 1580 so as to permit a free rotation of the valve member 158. Without such unseating, it would require considerable force to turn the valve member 158 and it would ultimately destroy the seating contact of the surfaces 152a and 1580. It will be noted that with the particular valve construction, wherein the valve member 158 is unseated during the turning thereof relative to the valve body, no seals are required between the valve member 158 and the seating sleeve 152 other than the contact between the surfaces 158a and 152a when the valve member 158 has reached its position in alignment with the particular lateral opening desired.

Thus, after the spring 180 has taken effect to move the shaft 164 longitudinally or axially to the right (as viewed in Figure 2A), then the piston or other means for moving the gear rack is actuated to move same downwardly as viewed in Figures 2B and 3 so as to impart a turning movement to the gear 185. Such turning movement is transmitted to the shaft 164 through the clutch 184. The turning of the shaft 164 thus continues until the downward movement of the gear rack 190 is stopped by the engagement of the star stop surface 186a with the stop roller 191 (Figure 3). The pressure on the diaphragm 183 is again applied so as to cause the shaft 164 to move to the left (Figures 2A and 2B) for again seating the valve member 158 with its surface hr in contact with the annular seating surface 152a. Therefore, assuming that the valve member 158 was initially aligned so as to provide communication from the passage 15% through the opening 158a of the valve member 158, such rotation through the ninety degrees or a one-quarter revolution of the valve member 158 would then position the valve member 158 with its opening 158:: in alignment with the next lateral opening 150C.

As previously pointed out, the opening 150D and the corresponding opening 152D are of a reduced size as compared to the other lateral openings in the valve body 150 since such openings are in communication with the line handling the activation gas of the system shown in Figure 1, which gas flows at a slower rate than the natural or field gas being treated and being passed through the other three lateral openings ESQA, and 159C. It will also be evident from Figure 6 that the opening 153. 1 of the valve 158 is preferably of a size which is small enough to be completely closed off from the flow between the openings 152D and 152A when switching the valve member 158 from one to the other. Similarly, the flow from the opening l52C to the opening 1521) is closed when switching from one to the other. For that reason, there is never any intermixture of any consequence between the activation gas stream and the field gas stream referred to previously and as used in the system of Figure 1.

In Figure 4, a modified form of the valve shown in Figure 2A is illustrated, wherein the parts of the device shown in Figure 4 which correspond with the parts shown in Figure 2A are identified by the same numerals except that they are preceded by the numeral 2 in the 200 series rather than the numeral 1 in the 100 series as in Figure 2A. Thus, the body 250 in Figure 4 corresponds with the body 150 in Figure 2A. Similarly, the valve seating sleeve 252 and the valve member 258 correspond with the valve seating sleeve 15?, and the valve member 158 of Figure 2A. However, it is to be noted that the valve seating sleeve 252 is inclined or tapered outwardly to the left rather than outwardly to the right as in Figure 2A. Also, the valve member 258 has its external surface 258a tapered or inclined outwardly to correspond with the interior or internal surface 252A of the sleeve 252. Thus, to unseat the valve member 258 during the rotation thereof for changing the position of the valve member 258, it is necessary to move the valve member 258 to the left, as viewed in Figure 4, in order to effect the disengagement of the seating surface 252a from the external surface 258:! of the valve member 253. The spring 28G corresponds with the spring 184 of Figure 2A but the spring 280 in Figure 4 acts to normally maintain the valve member 258 seated so that when the valve of Figure 4 is to be turned, the diaphragm such as 183 in Figure 2B which is connected to such shaft 264 has pressure applied thereto so as to urge the shaft 264 and the valve member 258 to the left in order to overcome the force of the spring 280. When the pressure on the diaphragm which is connected to the shaft 264 is relieved sufiiciently, then the force of the spring 2% acts to again reseat the valve member 258 within the seating or sealing sleeve 252. The movement of the shaft 264 to the left for the unseating of the valve member 258 is limited by the space between the annular surfaces 281a and 288a, because upon the contact of such surfaces with each other, the shaft 264 is stopped in its movement relative to the body 250. The

similarity between the other parts of the form of the valve shown in Figure 4 and the parts of the valve shown in Figure 2A is believed evident and a detailed discussion of same is not believed necessary for a complete understanding of this invention. Also, it will be evident that the operation of the valve shown in Figure 4 is identical with the operation of the valve shown in Figure 2A except that a pressure would have to be applied to the diaphragm connected to the shaft 264 in order to unseat same prior to the turning to the various valve positions, rather than the relieving of the pressure on the diaphragm as in the form of the valve shown in Figure 2A. Likewise, for the reseating of the valve member 258 of the form of the valve shown in Figure 4, the fluid pressure on the diaphragm would have to be relieved $11-1 ciently to permit the force of the coil spring 280 to reseat the valve member 258. Thus, in the valve of Figure 4, the spring pressure is relied upon to maintain the valve member seated, whereas in the form of the invention shown in Figure 2A, the fluid pressure acting on the diaphragm 183 is relied upon to maintain the valve member seated.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8 is basically the same as the form of the invention illustrated in Figure l of the drawings. The differences in the system of Figure 1 and the system of Figure 8 result primarily from the fact that the inlet valves 311, 312, 313 and 314 are connected in a difierent manner to the adsorption beds 8-}, B42, B3: and B4. Also, the outlet valves 315, 316, Bi? and 313 connected to the adsorption beds in a different manner from the corresponding outlet valves 15-18 of Figure l. The valves 3131-3153 are preferably of the same construction as the valves 11418 and could take the specific form illustrated in either Figure 2A or 4, but in Figure 8, the valves 3114318 are reversed as compared to the valves 11-i8 in so far as the flow therethrough is concerned. For example, in valve 311 of Figure 8, the gas flows into the central inlet opening of the valve and it flows outwardly through one of the lateral ports in the valve 311, assuming that such valve is constructed as disclosed in connection with either Figure 2A or 4. The same direction of flow is utilized in connection with the valves 33.2, 313 and 314. By reason of such change in direction of the flow through the valves 311-314, the connections from the valves 3l13l.4 to the adsorption beds B-L B2, B3 and B4 are changed, as will be explained hereinafter. Similarly, the valves 315-318 have the gas flowing outwardly therefrom through each of the central openings of each of the valves and the inlet to each of such valves is through one of the lateral ports thereof. The connections from the adsorption beds B-L 13-2, 13-32 and B4 to the valves 315L318 are accordingly changed for such change in the flow through the valves, as will be more evident hereinafter. The main advantage of the system of Figure 8 as compared to the system of Figure l resides in the fact that each of the valves 311-318 is handling gas at the same temperature, regardless of the particular cycle. For example, the valves 314 and 318 are the only valves exposed to the relatively high temperature gas which is used in the reactivation of the adsorption bed which is on the reactivation phase or cycle. Likewise, the valve 311 is always subjected to the temperature of the incoming gas and is therefore at a relatively low temperature. Each of the other valves is also at a fairly constant temperature which is advantageous in that it does not affect the condensation of the liquids in the gas by a premature cooling in a valve and it does not otherwise interfere with the temperature conditions of the gases being handled in the system so that an increased recovery and a more stable system is provided.

Considering the form of the invention shown in Figure 8 now more in detail, the same reference numerals and numbers have been used in Figure 8 as are used in Figure l to identify identical parts or elements in so far as possible. The gas to be treated, such as natural gas or field gas, is

introduced through line to a liquid knock-out or separator device K, which may be of any conventional construction for collecting and separating the condensed or free water and liquid hydrocarbons in the incoming gas. In the usual case, the separated water would be discharged from the knock-out chamber K through discharge line 401, the hydrocarbons which are separated would be discharged through line 402, and the gas from which such water and liquid hydrocarbons have been separated would be discharged from the liquid knock-out unit K through line 403. The feed line 403 from the knock-out chamber or unit K is directed to the multi-port valve 311 which has four laterally spaced discharge ports 311a, 311b, 3110, and 311d which are connected with the adsorption beds B-1, B-2, B-3 and B4, respectively. The inlet line 403 to the valve 311 is connected at all times and is open, but only one of the outlet or lateral openings 311a, 311b, 311s and 311d is open at any one time. Thus, with the line 311a to the valve 311 open, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 8, the gas flows from the inlet line 403 through the Valve 311 and then through line 311a to the adsorption bed B-l. Upon the rotation of the valve 311, the openings 311b, 3110 and 311d are successively exposed to subsequently switch the flow of the incoming gas from the line 403 to the adsorption beds B-2, B-3 and B-4, successively.

With the incoming gas passing through the adsorption bed B-l first, the gas would discharge therefrom and would pass to the valve 315 through inlet line 315a, which inlet line is one of four of the inlet lines. 315a, 315b, 3150 and 315d which are connected with the discharge lines from the adsorption beds B1, B-Z, B-3 and B-4, respectively. It will be appreciated that only one of such lateral openings 315a, 315b, 315a and 315d of the valve 315 is open at any one time. However the outlet opening 404 from the valve 315 is open at all times so that the gas passing through the valve 315 is discharged or passed into the line 404. The opening or flow line 404 connects with the inlet valve 312 which is also a rnulti-port valve and which has lateral or discharge openings 312a, 312b, 3120 and 312d which are in fluid communication with the adsorption beds B-l, B-2, B 3 and B-4, respectively. With the valve 312 in the position illustrated in Figure 8, the discharge or lateral opening 312!) is the only opening through which the gas passes from the valve 312 so that the gas flowing from the line 404 flows to the adsorption bed B-2 through the line 31%. It will be understood, of course, that the multi-port valve 312 may be rotated so that any one of the lateral discharge ports 312a, 312b, 312c and 312d can be open, but only one of such ports is open at any one time. Such ports in the valve 312 are opened successively as will be more fully explained. The gas being discharged from the adsorption bed B-2, or the other of the beds which is being fed with the gas from the line 404, passes to the valve 316 through one of the four lateral or inlet ports 316a, 316b, 3160 or 316d, one or which is open at a time for passing the gas through the valve 16 to the outlet opening or passage 405.

The passage 405 is connected with inlet valve 313, and

preferably, a cooler or heat exchanger 406 is interposed in the line 405 to reduce the temperature of the gas passing to the valve 313. The additional cooling with the cooler 406 is generally desirable because the gas passing through the line 406 is to be directed through the third adsorption bed, which bed had been previously on the reactivation cycle. The valve 313 is substantially the same as the multi-port valves previously described, and includes outlet or discharge openings 313a, 313b, 3130 and 313d. As indicated by the arrows in Figure 8, the gas is directed to the adsorption bed B-3 through the passage 313e, but of course, by rotating the multi-port valve 313, the adsorption beds are successively changed, as will be more fully explained. The gas passing through adsorption bed B-3 purges such bed of any reactivation gas during its initial flow and then subsequently the gas is discharged toa pipe line for use or storage. The gas passes from the adsorption bed B-3 through the multi-port valve 317 which has lateral inlet openings or ports 317a, 317b, 3170 and 31701. As illustrated, the line 317c'is the one which is open to the valve 317 and the other lines or ports 317a, 317k and 317d are closed. The gas thus flows from line 317c through the multi-port valve 317 and outwardly through the discharge line 407. During the initial flow of the gas through the adsorption bed B-3, the reactivation gas is purged from the bed B-3 and is passed back into the reactivation system by flowing through line 408. Such initial purging of the adsorption bed B-3 is accomplished by using a valve 409 in the line 408 and a valve 410 in the line 20. Thus, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, during the initial purging of the adsorption bed 13-3, the valve 409 is open and the valve 410 is closed. Therefore, the reactivation gas which is present in the adsorption bed B-3 is forced to flow through the line 408, and is prevented from flowing out through the line 20. However, after all of the reactivation gas has been displaced with the gas being admitted from line 405 to the adsorption bed B3, then the valve 409 is closed and the valve 410 is opened so that thereafter the product gas all passes through the line 407 to the line 20 for marketing or storage.

While adsorption beds or units B-l, B-2 and B-3 are thus connected for the series flow of gas therethrough, the fourth adsorption bed B-4 is being reactivated so as to remove therefrom all previously adsorbed water and hydrocarbons. The reactivation of the adsorption bed B4 is accomplished in a closed cycle of the reactivation gas. The reactivation gas or the enriched gas is maintained separately from the main gas system because the enriched gas or reactivation gas is heated and is used in the heated condition for the activation stage of the system as explained previously in connection with Figure l. The reactivation gas is directed to .a multi-port inlet valve 314 from line 411 for distribution to the particular adsorption bed which is being reactivated. Thus, the multi-port valve has ports or openings 314a, 314b, 314c and 314d, with the port or passage 314d being open in the flow sheet as illustrated in Figure 8 so that the reactivation gas is flowing to the adsorption bed B4. The multi-port valve 318 is positioned at the discharge end of the adsorption bed B-4 and it has ports or openings 318a, 318b, 3180 and 318d formed therewith, one of which is open at a time. In the particular instance illustrated in Figure 8, the port 318d is open to the valve 318 and therefore the reactivation gas from the adsorption bed or unit B4 passes through the line 318d of the valve 318 and is discharged therefrom through line 415. The line 415 has a branch line 416 which is connected with the inlet line 10. A check valve 417 is positioned in the line 416 so as to prevent any return flow of the incoming gas through the line 10 to the line 416. As will be more fully explained, when the adsorption bed B-4 is initially put on the reactivation cycle, the cool lean gas in the bed is first discharged through the line 416 so that such lean gas is not mixed with the reactivation gas. The line 415 is closed by closing valve 418 during the purging of the lean gas from the adsorption bed B-4 so that all of the lean purged gas passes through line 416 and check valve 417 for the purge period of the reactivation cycle through the adsorption bed B-4. Thereafter, as will be more fully explained, the valve 418 is opened and at such time there is not sufficient pressure to still maintain the valve 417 open, whereby the reactivation gas then passes through the valve 418, heat exchanger 419, cooler 420 and into the accumulator 421. The hydrocarbons and water are collected in the accumulator 421 and are separated therein so that the water is discharged as desired through outlet line 421a and the liquid hydrocarbons are discharged through line 421b for marketing or subsequent use.

The rich gas or reactivation gas passes from the accumulator 421 through valve 422 and is pumped through the reactivation cycle with the reactivation gas circulator pump 423. A heat exchange takes place in the heat exchanger 419 and then the gas passes into a heater 425 which may be heated with a suitable fuel such as the stripped gas from line 20 which is admitted through line 426 and valve 427. The valve 427 can be regulated with a temperature controller 428 of known construction so that the amount of gas and the admission of the gas through line 426 to the heater 425 is regulated to regulate the temperature of the reactivation gas which flows from the heater 425 to the line 411. It should be noted in connection with the reactivation portion of the system that the line 408 leading from he adsorption bed B3 extends to a point between the valve 422 and the pump 423. Therefore, when the valve 409 is open, and the valve 422 is closed, it will be evident that the pump 423 will be pumping the rich purged gas coming from the adsorption bed B3 for the period of time during which such bed B3 is on the purge portion of its cycle. Thus, the rich purged gas from the adsorption bed 18-3 is readmitted into the reactivation portion of the system. As will also be explained, the lean gas in the adsorption bed 13-4 is being returned to the inlet line through the line 416 during the time that the rich gas is being returned to the reactivation cycle through the line 408.

In order to reduce the volume of the gas passing from the adsorption bed B-2 to the adsorption bed B3 during the purge period of the cycle, suitable means such as a valve 440 is connected from the flow line 405 to the flow line 20. During the purging of the rich gas from the adsorption bed B3 in the initial part of the cycle, the amount of the gas flowing from the line 405 to the adsorption bed B3 is preferably reduced by opening the valve 440 to such an extent that some of the gas flows from the line 405 through valve 440 to the product or discharge line 20. In the usual case, therefore, only enough of the gas flows from the line 405 to the adsorption bed B3 to remove the rich gas therefrom during the purge cycle. The valve 440 is regulated so as to partially close same after the purge cycle so that then all, or at least a far greater portion, of the gas passes from the line 405 to the adsorption bed B3 for the cooling of the adsorbent in the bed B3 during the cooling portion of the cycle. The operation of the valve 440 can be controlled with numerous devices which are well known, and as illustrated in Figure 8, a pressure control device 441 is connected from line 405 to line 20 so that as the pressure differential between such lines changes, the valve 440 will be manipulated to adjust the valve 440 to regulate the amount of flow therethrough for each phase of the purge and cooling cycle.

The multi-port valves 311-318, and the other valves 409, 410, 418 and 422 could be manipulated by various devices, or conceivably even by hand, but in order to render the system automatic, such valves are preferably controlled by a fluid pressure system which is substantially the same as that described in connection with Figure 1. Such system is particularly desirable when the valves 311-318 are of the type illustrated in Figures 2A and 4 of the drawings. The control system includes the diaphragms 91-98 and the pistons or fluid pressure actuating means 100-107 for the valves 311-318, respectively. A supply of gas or other actuating fluid is introduced at 108 for ultimately actuating the diaphragms 91-98 and the pistons 100-107 when it is desired to rotate the valves 311-318. Also, such gas or other actuating fluid functions to operate the valves 409, 410, 418 and 422, as will be explained.

The other valves and controls for the systems of Figure 8 are identical with that described in connection with Figure 1 as indicated by the identical numerals, except that the temperature controllers 114 and 115 are connected in different places and cause the system to operate under somewhat different conditions than the system of Figure l. The temperature controller 114 is of course a conventional controller which opens the valve 111 when the temperature of the gas passing through the line 415 reaches a predetermined point. In other words, assuming the adsorption bed B4 is being activated, the gas passing therefrom through line 415 would reach a predetermined temperature in such line 415 when that bed had been fully reactivated for further use and, therefore, the temperature of the gas in the line 415 would cause the temperature controller 114 to act to open the valve 111. Similarly the valve is opened by the temperature controller 114 which opens when the gas in the line 407 reaches a predetermined temperature. Such gas in the line 407 is the gas coming from the adsorption bed which is being cooled (bed B3 in Figure 8) and therefore, it would be actuated when the bed B3 had been cooled sufficiently for subsequent use. Thus, both conditions, namely the activation of the bed under the activation phase and the cooling of the bed under the cooling phase, would have to occur before the valves 110 and 111 were both opened. When the valves 110 and 111 are opened then the air or gas supply from the line 108 acts to open the valve 112 and the gas passes through the normally open valve 114 also for effecting the closing of the valve 115 which is normally open. Also, the valve 116 which is normally open is closed by the air or gas passing through the line 117 when the valves 110 and 1 11 are open. The air or gas passing through the line 118 serves to open the normally closed valve 119. When the valve 119 is open, the diaphragms 91-98 are opened to exhaust which allows the valves 311-318 to unseat prior to the rotation thereof to a different position, as has been explained in connection with Figure 1. At the same time, supply pressure bleeds through the valve 120 which delays the actuation of the valve 121 to open same after a delayed period of time so that the air or gas from the supply line 108 is then fed through the line 122 to the pistons 100-107. The pistons are thus actuated to move the valves 311- 318 to open a different port on each of such valves, which ordinarily would be a ninety degree movement with the valves illustrated in Figures 2A and 4 of the drawings. Such rotation or turning of the valves 311-318 shifts the streams of the gas which is being fed to the various beds of the system.

During the admission of the air or gas through the line 122 to the pistons 100-107, a portion of the gas is also passed through a line 123 to a throttling valve 124 which slowly admits pressure to a surge chamber 125 so that after a predetermined time interval from the opening of the valve121, the pressure in the drum 125 becomes sufficient to actuate the valve 114 to close same. When the valve 114 is closed, then the valve 115 is returned to its normally opened position and the valve 119 is returned to its normally closed position. Such action then permits the supply of air or gas to flow through the line 126 to the diaphragms 91-98 so as to again reseat the valve 311-318. The air or gas in the line 126 also passes through the valve 120 and a buildup in pressure in the surge drum 127 is obtained after a predetermined period of time to close the valve 121.

As previously explained, one of the adsorption beds B-1, B2, B3 or B4 is on the purge and the cooling phase during a particular cycle, and the purging is accomplished prior to the cooling portion of that phase for each cycle. Thus, in the particular relationship illustrated in Figure 8, the bed B3 is on the purge and cooling phase and is initially purged of the enriched activation gas and thereafter is cooled. Also, one of the adsorption beds is on the purge and reactivation phase, and in the particular example illustrated in Figure 8, the adsorption bed 3-4 is on such phase. In order to manipulate the valves 409, 410, 418 and 422 to first purge the bed on the purge and cooling cycle and to also first purge the bed on the purge and re- 17 activation cycle, the normally open valve 410 is closed, the normally closed valve 409 is opened and the normally. opened valves 418 and 422 are closed. Such shifting of the valves 409, 410, 418 and 422 from their normal positions to their purge positions is accomplished at the time the multi-port valves 311-318 are shifted to a new position for the shifting of the adsorption beds. For example, when the adsorption beds are as indicated in Figure 8 so that the incoming gas stream is initially directed to the adsorption bed B-l, then it is directed through the adsorption bed B-2 and is finally directed through the bed 13-3 for the purging and cooling of same, the adsorption bed B-4 is on the reactivation phase or cycle. When the temperature of the adsorption bed B-4 has reached a predetermined point which can be indicated by a temperature controller in the bed B-4 itself, or by the temperature controller 114 connected to the line 415 as shown in Figure 8, then the shifting of the valves 311-318 occurs, as previously mentioned. Ordinarily the temperature controller 115 is actuated prior to the time the temperature controller 114 is actuated so that the valve 110 ordinarily opens prior to the valve 111. In any event, when both temperature controllers 114 and 115 are satisfied, that is they have been actuated at their predetermined selected temperatures, then both the valves 110 and 111 are opened which of course initiates the turning of the valves 311-318, as previously explained. Simultaneously with such shifting of the valves 311-318, pressure fluid such as air or gas is admitted through the line 130 to the line 330 which connects with each of the valves 409, 410, 418 and 422. Such air or gas pressure to such valves through the line 330 causes the valve 410 to close, the valve 409 to open, and the valves 418 and 422 to close. Therefore, when the valves 311-318 have rotated so as to cause the adsorption bed 13-2 to be the first in the series of the adsorption beds so that it is receiving the inlet gas directly from the valve 311, and the adsorption bed B-3 is then the second in the adsorption series, and the bed B-4 is on the purge and cooling phase, while the bed B-1 is on the reactivation stage, the valves 409, 410, 418 and 422 are shifted to their purge positions so that the rich reactivation gas which had previously collected in the bed B-4 is initially purged and is discharged through the line 403. Simultaneously the adsorption bed B-l is purged of its lean gas which had accumulated in the previous adsorption cycle, and such lean gas passes out through the line 416. The lean gas coming out through the line 415 to the line 416 from the adsorption bed B-l which is on the reactivation cycle, lowers the temperature of the temperature controller 114 to a point below which it functions to maintain the valve 111 in an open position. However, to provide a time delay prior to the closing of the valve 111 so as to permit a predetermined period of time for the purging of the beds B-4 and B-1, a throttling "alve 131 and a surged drum 132 are positioned in the line leading from the line 415 to the valve 111. The throttling valve 131 limits the pressure fluid reaching the surged drum 132 so that until a predetermined pressure is built up in the drum 132, the valve 111 remains open. The valve 110 likewise remains open during such delay period. Also, the valve 440 may be connected with the line 330 so that it is moved to a fully open position during the purging operation, as previously explained. As soon as sufficient time has elapsed for the pressure build-up in the surge drum 132, the valve 111 is closed, and at about the same time the valve 110 closes due to the fact that the temperature controller 115 reaches a temperature above the temperature at which it functions to open the valve 110. Thereafter, the valve 410 opens to its normal position, the valve 409 closes to its normal position, and the valves 418 and 422 open to their normal positions. Thus, the bed B-4 is then on simply a cooling stage with the gas passing through the line then passing through the line 415, exchangers 419 and 420 I to the accumulator 421, as previously explained. It will be understood of course that each change in the valves 311-318 produces such a repetition of steps and a switching of the beds successively so that the beds successively change positions in so far as the flow of gases therethrough is concerned. It is believed that with the foregoing description of Figure 8, the similarities and the differences between the systems of Figures 1 and 8 are now readily apparent.

It should be pointed out that the systems described above with Figures 1 and 8 can be modified by providing a separate cooling and purging system for accomplishing the cooling and purging of the beds as required. Such cooling and purging system would include conventional apparatus such as a compressor or blower and a cooler, and by the use of such separate arrangement, the need for the valves 47 and 48 would be obviated.

Also, it should be understood that although the term field gas is generally used through the specification in referring to the gas being treated, any gas may be used regardless of its source so long as it has components therewith capable of being adsorbed or removed by some particular adsorbent in this system. Of course, the particular adsorbent material may be varied if necessary or desirable for the particular gas being treated.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the use of a gas for controlling the operation of the valves 11-18 of Figure 1 or the valves 311-318 of Figure 8, but as will be appreciated, electric or electronic controls of various types may be employed.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for stripping gas to remove at least one of its components therefrom, comprising a plurality of adsorption beds each having an adsorbent material therein capable of adsorbing the component to be stripped from said gas, each of said beds having a separate m-uIti-port rotary valve connected to one end thereof for changing the direction of fluid flow therethrough upon continuous rotation of the valve in the same direction, each of said beds also having a separate multiport valve connected to. the other end thereof for changing the direction of fluid flow therethrou-gh upon continuous rotation of the valve in the same direction, means for positioning the ports of the valves connected to a first bed and a second bed for directing the gas to be stripped through said pair of beds in series for the adsorption of said component, means for positioning the ports of the valves connected to a third bed for initially directing a stream of purge gas through said third bed and for subsequently directing the gas from said first pair of beds through said third bed for cool ing same, means for positioning the ports of the valves connected to a fourth one of said beds for directing a stream of activation gas therethrough to remove substantially all of the adsorbed component therefrom, shifting means for automatically and simultaneously shifting all of said valves in the same rotational direction to consecutively change the flow of said gas to be stripped and the flow of said activation gas to direct the flow of the activation gas through said first bed and to direct the flow of the gas to be stripped in series through said second bed and said third bed and to direct the flow of the purge gas and cooling gas through said fourth bed, and control means for effecting the operation of said shifting means upon the adsorption of said component to the capacity of the adsorbent material in the pair of beds on the adsorption cycle and upon the completion of the reactivation of said adsorbent material in said bed being reactivated during each consecutive cycle.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, including means for initially directing a portion of the incoming untreated gas through the valve connected to said third bed for purging said third bed of any activation gas therein, means for combining such purge gas with the incoming untreated gas for flow to said first bed after such purge gas is discharged from said third bed, means for closing oh? the flow of such purge gas to said third bed after a predetermined period and While each of said valves with said beds remain in the same positions, and means for thereafter directing the stripped gas which is discharged from said second bed through the inlet valve with said third bed for cooling said third bed for the remainder of the cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,892,428 Fonda Dec. 27, 1932 1,958,262 Boland May 8, 1934 2,226,169 Koehler Dec. 24, 1940 2,535,902 Dailey Dec. 26, 1950 2,771,964 Miller Nov. 27, 1956 2,790,505 Dow Apr. 30, 1957 2,799,362 Miller July 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 78,608 Denmark Dec. 20, 1954 

